Sunday, October 19, 2008

The Greatest Free Show on Earth!!

The Circleville Pumpkin Festival. There's no time like fall here in central Ohio and no place celebrates the splendor of the season quite like Circleville Ohio!! People come from all over to experience the 102 year tradition. It is one of the many culinary highlights of our calender every year! I mean, really, who can go wrong with pumpkin burgers, pumpkin chili, pumpkin fudge,pumpkin ice cream, pumpkin waffles, pumpkin cream puff, pumpkin donuts, and well...all things pumpkin!!! Of course that is in addition to the more traditional festival foods like corn dogs, roasted corn on the cob, sausage sandwiches....and I think you get the point! Now before you go worrying about our waist lines...we have mastered the art of pacsing ourselves at this festival. There are certain things that must be eaten immediately, and there are those things that can be purchased and taken home for later consumption. The other thing that is important to note about this festival is the weather. I mean, really...when you think about it, it doesn't make a lot of sense that this little central Ohio town has an outdoors festival in the middle of October. It is usually 40 degrees and pouring rain during the festival, which has provided some of the best memories of the festival, because if you think the rain stops people from coming out, you would be wrong! This year was the first time we got to experience the festival on a crisp, sunny fall day. What made this experience different, well everything appeared larger and more interesting for sure. There where booths and vendors there that in the rain, one just doesn't have time to look at. There is also the fact that you spend much more time looking up and around, as opposed to keeping your eye on the ground in hopes of not stepping in a large puddle of water, or slip in the mud. What made the experience that much better, was that we got to share the afternoon with friends. Brad, Rachel, Mark and his girlfriend Amanda joined us for the fun! Here are a few pictures from our time at the festival together.